The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is reportedly preparing to introduce a new rule that would prohibit transgender women from competing in all female Olympic categories, according to a report from The Times on Monday.
The proposed policy change, expected to be formally announced early next year, follows a scientific review assessing the physical advantages of athletes who were biologically male at birth, the outlet said, citing sources close to the committee.
The review also examined athletes with Disorders of Sexual Development (DSD) — conditions in which individuals may possess biological traits of both sexes that can emerge at different stages of life.
Public attention around DSD issues grew after Algerian boxer Imane Khelif won a gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics. While rumors circulated regarding her eligibility, Khelif has stated she was born female, and her family has firmly maintained she has always been identified and raised as a girl.
According to the report, IOC Medical and Scientific Director Dr. Jane Thornton presented the findings in a private session last week.
“It was a very scientific, objective, and calm presentation that clearly laid out the evidence,” a source told The Times.
Currently, the IOC allows transgender women to compete in female events if they maintain testosterone levels below a specific threshold. However, enforcement and eligibility decisions have largely been left to individual sporting federations.
An IOC spokesperson denied that any final decision had been made, stating:
“An update was given by the IOC’s Director of Health, Medicine and Science last week during IOC commission meetings. The working group is still reviewing the issue, and no final conclusions have been reached. Further updates will be provided in due course.”
The potential ban follows earlier comments by IOC President Kirsty Coventry, who emphasized her commitment to protecting the integrity of women’s sports.
“We recognize that each sport faces unique circumstances, but safeguarding the female category must remain a priority,” Coventry said earlier this year. “This process must be grounded in scientific evidence and shaped through collaboration with international federations that have already contributed substantial research.”
Coventry, a former Olympic swimmer from Zimbabwe, added that IOC members were largely in agreement about the need for a unified global policy on the matter.
“It was clear there was strong support for the IOC to lead efforts toward a broad, science-based consensus,” she said.
It remains uncertain whether the updated regulations will take effect before the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. The next Summer Olympics are scheduled to take place in Los Angeles in 2028.
